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McCall Idaho Winter Carnival
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WINTER CARNIVAL
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McCall Idaho:
Winter Carnival 2000
Jan. 28 - Feb. 5, 2000
A 75- Year -Old Tradition Continues ...
The McCall Winter Carnival is
going stronger than ever! The
first weekend of the 10- day -long
festival, January 28 -30, is
highlighted by the ever - wacky,
non - traditional Mardi Gras
parade at high noon on Saturday -
- topped by Monte Carlo Casino
Night that evening. This is in
addition to the numerous
remarkable snow sculptures
scattered around town (some
sculptures are big as houses, •
others the size of a dog house). A
majority of the sculptures are
crafted by the local citizens of McCall.
. Tentative Schedule of Events
. Back to Home Page
0
Mid -week is Grand Bingo. You haven't seen Bingo until McCall's Grand Bingo -- the traditional game
and with a few new twists.
The second weekend, February 5 -6, is themed Snow Daze. It's a time when folks can get a chance to
experience all the different ways to play in the snow. The McCall Ice Rink will be hosting demos
throughout the weekend. For those wanting to experience a little downhill skiing, Brundage Mountain
Ski Area is hosting -- "Take Your Daughter to the Slopes" demo skis will be available along with free
lessons. For those preferring a more gentle grade, Ponderosa State Park will have cross country demo
skis available and free lessons. Ponderosa State Park was the site of the 1998 Junior Olympic Cross
Country Event and has an awesome set of trails. For those who like speed, there's the Snowmobile
Fun Run!
So, come on out and experience our piece of paradise!!
Entry forms and information are available at the Chamber of Commerce office, (208) 634 -7631, or via
e- mail.
http: / /www.mccaH- idchamber .org/toplay /carnival/index.html
1/10/00
McCall Idaho Winter Carnival
0 2000 Schedule of Events *: Time Line
•
C
* Tentative... Check back often for updates
Great Things to Do Everyday
• Sculpture viewing
• Sleigh Rides
• Snowmobiling
• Ice Skating
• Alpine Skiing at Brundage Mountain
• Nordic Skiing at Little Ski Hill
• Nordic Skiing at Ponderosa State Park
• Elk Viewing
• Snowshoeing
Friday, January 28
Page 2 of 4
Time
Event
Location
8:00 am
Local Snow Sculpture Judging Begins
Food Court Downtown McCall
6:30 — 7:00 pm
Children's Neon Light Parade
Downtown McCall
4:00 — 10:00 pm
Beer Garden & Food Court Open
Food Court Downtown McCall
7:00 — 8:00 pm
Opening Ceremony & Street Dance
Food Court Downtown McCall
9:00 pm — midnight
Optimist Club Teen Dance
McCall - Donnelly High School
Saturday, January 29
9:00am — noon
McCall Mighty Pucks & Youth
Exhibition Hockey Games
McCall Ice Skating Rink
11:00am — 9:00pm
Beer Garden and Food Court Open
Food Court Downtown McCall
Noon — 1:00pm
Mardi Gras Grand Parade
Downtown McCall
1:00 — 9:00pm
Music on Main State
Food Court Downtown McCall
7:00 — 11:00pm
Monte Carlo Casino Night
TBA
9 m — midnight
Optimist Club Teen Dance
McCall- Donnelly High School
http://www.mccall-idchamber.org/toplay/camival/index.htn-1
1/10/00
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Winter Carnival waits
for Big Payette Lake
'to freeze completely
McCALL — With Winter
Carnival less than a week
away, residents and city offi-
cials wonder whether the Big
Payette Lake will be frozen in
time for the activities which be-
gin Jan. 28.
Resident Jayne Brown inher-
ited and has since maintained
records of the lake's ice break-
ups dating back to 1910. Brown
said the last year the lake did
not freeze over was during the
winter of 1933 -34.
"January thaws are not un-
common," she said. "It's better
now than in February during
Winter Carnival."
Brown said her records show
several years when the lake did
not freeze over until mid -to late -
January. The latest date she has
on record by which the Big
Payette Lake iced over was dur-
ing the winter of 1979 -80 when it
froze, coincidentally,-on-Jan. 28.
Winter Carnival honors couple
who helped the town grow
By Susan Whaley
The Idaho Statesman
In keeping with a tradition that began in 1924,
McCall is throwing a mid- winter party to lift
spirits and celebrate the season.
And as he was in 1924, Warren Brown will be
there.
Brown and his wife, Jayne, will lead the Man
1i Gras Grand Parade on Saturday, the first big
vent of the McCall Winter Carnival.
Organizers expect up to 50,000 people to visit
their little mountain ski town — population 2,900
— during the 10 -day run that begins Friday
night. To entertain their guests, local volunteers
have built elaborate snow sculptures and organ-
ized events from skiing and snowmobiling to
wine tasting and dancing.
The first Winter Carnival parade of a new cen-
tury will honor the Browns, whose personal his-
tory closely mirrors McCall's in the last century.
From timber and ranching to tourism and
recreation, Brown has seen it all. He started out
developing sawmills and amassing thousands of
acres for cattle ranching from Whitebird to Mc-
Call, then eventually built Brundage Mountain
ski resort.
ctgP 4?/ 7< 3 fa 4/60 s
Statesman file photo
Ellen McKinney, left, and Roxanne Hill pulled an all - nighter last year
to get their ice sculpture ready for judging. Called "One Giant Leap," it
showed astronauts on the moon.
Dog sled winner "Buckaroo Bear" was one of about 40 entries in the 199.Uinter Carnival.
This year Warren Brown, h but also laced second in the American Sled
87, will ride comfortably in p y p
an automobile as the parade
winds through downtown
McCall.
It wasn't quite so cushy in
Warren Brown 1924 when Brown experi-
enced the first winter carni-
val from the back of a dog
sled, but it was an exciting
time for a 12- year -old kid.
For that first carnival, Brown's team of dogs
took him to first place in the dog sled contest.
Brown still has the trophy.
The next year, he not only earned another tro-
Dog Derby, a national contest held in Ashton.
Such a high ranking at such a young age earned
him a front -page photo in the Chicago Tribune,
he remembers.
It also meant big money to the young boy. He
still remembers exactly how much money he
won: rust place in the McCall contest earned him
$500; second prize in Ashton was $1,000.
Doe sledding was a highlight of the first carni-
val celebrations. Other events includ-
ed ski jumping, snowshoe races and
snow shoveling contests.
Statesman file photo
Special to the Statesman
Nowadays, skis and snowmobiles Warren Brown and his dog team take a visitor on a ride around
are more common than dog sleds. Payette Lake in 1926.
'.And the little rough- and - tumble town started building Brundage Mountain
;where mining, logging, gambling and ski resort in 1959 and opened it to
brothels once flourished is now a ski- skiers in 1961. He eventually sold his
ing, golfing and family recreational interest in the business to his daughter
Mecca. and son -in -law, Diane and Judd De-
Me early days Boer.
_ Like the Brown family, McCall
Brown started in the lumber busi- turned to logging, mining and ranch -
ness as a kid by working in the ing for a livelihood in the early part of
:'sawmill in downtown McCall that his the 20th century. When the mines
:,,dad, Carl Brown, bought in 1929. Like played out and the sawmill finally
• many modern -day pioneers, Carl shut down in 1977, many feared the
:Brown liked McCall so much he town would, too. But McCall weath-
stayed after his ered the potential economic hit by
first visit. That turning to its longtime niche as a
was in 1910 when
he was sent to
Idaho from New
Hampshire by his
father, who
owned stock in a
mine near Mc-
Call.
"His dad sent
Jlayne Brown him out here to see
why he wasn't get-
ting any money
put of the mine — and he never left,"
• Brown said.
: Warren Brown eventually took
over his father's lumber business and
"built a small empire.
As a timber man, he innovated
:ways to haul more logs from the forest
:and to keep his sawmills in McCall
and Riggins running efficiently.
If land was for sale, he bought it. By
combining small ranches, he created
:huge ones and figured out ways to
make them profitable raising cattle.
With Jayne at his side, he rode hors-
es, rounded up cows, flew a small air-
plane, put in many miles on logging
roads and spent time in Idaho's wild
back country fishing, rafting and
camping.
"He never sat behind a desk," said
Jayne Brown, whose own family
homesteaded a ranch near Malad in
1864. The couple met while students at
the University of Idaho and married in
1935. She became active in civic af-
fairs, particularly the Girl Scouts.
Building a resort
I An avid outdoorsman, Brown
brought modern skiing to McCall with
construction of Little Ski Hill a couple
of miles outside of town. It opened in
1937, a wear after Sun Vallev did. He
his partners built a big ski lump
a lodge, then rigged up a cable
m to carry folks up the hill on a
Never one to let snow melt under
[is feet, Brown was soon thinking
bout something bigger and better.
lis knowledge of the terrain — honed
,y a lifetime of exploring, logging and
ecreating in the mountains around
McCall — told him that Brundage
Mountain was the place to be.
In his memoir called "It's Fun to Re-
neber," Brown tells how he obtained
financial backing from potato king
.R. Simplot. Brown and his partners
mountain getaway.
Reviving the carnival
McCall long has been a popular
destination for Treasure Valley resi-
dents, even 60 and 70 years ago. Be-
fore modern transportation, visitors
arrived by train or car and planned to
stay for several days.
Jayne Brown said the United Pacific
train from Nampa brought folks to the
first winter carnival in 1924.
"Probably as many came on the
train as lived here," she said.
Eventually many regular visitors
built homes along the shores of
Payette Lake to enjoy the area's
breath- taking beauty year - round.
Visitors continued to enjoy the win-
ter festivities until bad times hit a few
vears later.
"Everything stopped during the De-
pression," Jayne Brown said.
But anybody who has lived in a
town where it feels like winter for six
months of the year knows that it's im-
possible to ignore the need for a little
fun.
Ice - breakup contests and other
events brightened the winters until
1964, when McCall merchants re-
vived the Winter Carnival. It has con-
tinued annually ever since, drawing
bigger crowds every year.
The event perhaps is best known
for its snow sculptures, which resi-
dents start building two weeks before
the carnival begins.
Past years have featured creations,
large and small, depicting animals,
historical figures and whimsical
scenes.
Looking ahead
The Browns still live in the lakeside
home they built in HAT Large picture
windows frame views of the sky, lake
and mountains.
Because of recent warm weather,
ducks swim in the ice -free waters. A
snow - covered lawn sweeps down to
shore where a waarmer weather.
w - ,
Trim and fit, the Browns both look
as if they still could carve turns on
Brundage. In fact, they did until a cou-
ple of years ago, when Warren
Brown's health forced him to grudg-
ingly give it up.
His first question while greeting a
�01
Nancy Krahn prepares the base for a snow sculpture by putting water on
the snow and stomping it down to harden it. The plywood will be removed
after the base is formed. Krahn's furniture store has prepared a snow
sculpture in downtown McCall for 21 years. This year's theme will be
"Peanuts," with a cartoon strip featuring beloved characters from the strip
by Charles Schulz.
recent visitor was, "Are you going ski-
ing today ?"
Brown feels pride in the town
where he has lived all his life.
"It's better now," he said, recalling
the long hours and hard physical
work involved in making a living off
the land. "I'm proud of the people
coming here and building homes.
They're really good citizens."
The Browns are delighted that Mc-
Call has grown and thrived enough
through the years to attract young
people willing to start new businesses.
"It's really a pleasure to see the
young people coming back," Jayne
Brown said.
Contact Susan at 377 -6431 or
swhale.-&- boise.gannet t. corn
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o n I d a h o 5 5 . I f s u s u a l l y a t w o - h o u r d r i v e , b u t
h e a v y t r a f f i c o r b a d w e a t h e r c a n m a k e i t
l o n g e r .
I n f o r m a t i o n : C a l l t h e M c C a l l C h a m b e r o f
C o m m e r c e a t 6 3 4 - 7 6 3 1 . O r c h e c k t h e W e b
s i t e a t w w w . m c c a l l - i d c h a m b e r . o r g .
C o s t : M o s t e v e n t s a r e f r e e . E x c e p t i o n s
a r e n o t e d i n t h e s c h e d u l e .
A c c o m m o d a t i o n s : W i t h S h o r e L o d g e
c l o s e d f o r r e m o d e l i n g , o v e r n i g h t r e s e r v a -
t i o n s a r e h a r d t o g e t . T h e f i r s t w e e k e n d i s a l -
m o s t f u l l y b o o k e d , b u t t h e r e m a y b e l a s t -
m i n u t e c a n c e l l a t i o n s . L o d g i n g i s a v a i l a b l e
d u r i n g t h e w e e k a n d f o r t h e s e c o n d w e e k -
e n d .
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: T h i n g s t o d o i n t h e M c C a l l a r e a :
r A l p i n e s k i i n g : B r u n d a g e S k i R e -
. s o r t , 9 : 3 0 a . m . t o 4 : 3 0 p . m . F o r i n -
f o r m a t i o n o n p r i c e s , l e s s o n s ,
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t o 1 0 p . m . F r i d a y , 1 1 a . m . t o 1 0
: p . m . S a t u r d a y , 1 1 a . m . t o 5 p . m .
, S u n d a y . C l o s e d M o n d a y a n d
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- c l a y 3 p . m . t o 5 p . m . C o s t : $ 6
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u n t i l 1 1 p . m . , $ 3 p e r v e h i c l e o r a
s t a t e p a r k - a n d - s k i p a s s .
L i t t l e S k i H i l l , T u e s d a y t h r o u g h
; S u n d a y , 1 0 a . m . , $ 3 .
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d o w n t o w n M c C a l l
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a n d s l e i g h r i d e s , c a l l 6 3 4 - 2 2 2 2 o r
v i s i t t h e W e b s i t e a t w w w . a c t i v i t y -
b a m . c o m .
S o a k i n g : Z i m ' s H o t S p r i n g s , 1 0
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a d u l t s , $ 4 f o r k i d s u p t o 1 2 y e a r s
o l d . L o c a t e d 1 3 m i l e s n o r t h o f M c -
C a l l o n U . S . 9 5 .
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p a i n t e r s , p o t t e r s , p h o t o g r a p h e r s ,
f u r n i t u r e m a k e r s a n d o t h e r a r t i s t s
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b u i l d i n g d o w n t o w n , s p o n s o r e d b y
t h e M c C a l l A r t s a n d H u m a n i t i e s
C o u n c i l , F r i d a y t h r o u g h S u n d a y ,
n o o n t o 8 p . m . , a n d M o n d a y
t h r o u g h T h u r s d a y , 3 p . m . t o 7 p . m .
S h o p p i n g : L o c a l s h o p s f e a t u r e
c l o t h i n g , g i f t s , a n t i q u e s a n d o u t -
d o o r s p o r t s e q u i p m e n t . H a n d m a d e
i t e m s w i l l b e a v a i l a b l e f r o m v e n -
d o r s a t t h e F o o d C o u r t i n d o w n -
t o w n M c C a l l .
R e s t a u r a n t s : E a t e r i e s f e a t u r e
e v e r y t h i n g f r o m h a m b u r g e r s a n d
p r i m e r i b t o h o m e m a d e s o u p .
F o r a c o m p l e t e l i s t o f r e s t a u -
r a n t s , c h e c k w w w .
m c c a I I - i d o h a m b e r . o r g .
Ice sculptures create hotbed
of activity at McCall carnival
Kim Hughes/ The Idaho Statesman
In the early morning light, snow sculpture judge Bruce Miller walks around the "Realty Bear," sponsored by the McCall Area
Realtors. While commenting on the intricate detail in the sculpture, one of the judges quipped, "Fur sure," generating laugh-
ter from the rest. Friday was the beginning of the annual McCall Winter Carnival, which runs through Feb. 6.
How to get to the Winter Carnival
Area of > When: Jan. 28 to Feb. 6
detail
> Where: McCall, 107 miles north of
Mocet Boise on Highway 55
Donnelly > Information: Call the McCall Cham-
ber of Commerce at 634 -7631. Or check
95, cascade
the Web site at www.mccall-
idchamber.oro.
55 ]
> Cost: Most events are free
,Fruitland
> Road report: 1 -888- 432 -7623
> Accommodations: Hotels are
�,
N
booked both weekends, according to
eoise
Statewide Central Reservations, but there
are some vacancies on Sundays and
weekdays.
S'a'te snnalt
pale- .)1`3
This weekend is town's biggest all year
By Susan Whaley
The Idaho Statesman
As the early morning sun
burned the last wisps of fog off
Payette Lake on Friday, it was
clear that McCall was ready to
ply.
Intricately carved ice sculp-
tures were in place, and color-
ful carnival beads hung from
the necks of townspeople and
tourists.
Even Mother Nature got in
the spirit by ending a two -
week warm spell with the
frigid nights that only a snow
sculptor could love.
The McCall Winter Ca m-
val is expected to draw up to
50,000 people during its 10-day
tun, which officially kicked off
Friday night.
It's the biggest event of the
year for the small mountain
ski town.
The Mardi Gras parade will
begin at noon today, winding
through downtown McCall.
A fireworks display over
Payette Lake is scheduled for 8
p.m. Music and food will be
available at the food court
downtown all afternoon.
"Probably there's not one
weekend that's bigger than
this," said Keith Holloway of
Boise, owner of the Yacht
Club; a building that houses a
restaurant and other business-
es downtown.
He greeted gawkers who
stopped by Friday morning to
admire the ice sculpture in
front of his business called
"Millennium Magic in Mc-
Call," featuring a sorcerer and
Sharlie, the legendary monster
of Payette Lake, while ice
sculptor Jeannette Wood of
Boise added a few last- minute
touches.
Wood had been up until 4
a.m. Friday morning to finish
her creation, which she esti-
mated took about 70 hours to
build.
The effort was not lost on
Shielda Talaich of Caldwell,
who deemed Wood's creation
one of her favorites.
Kim Hughes/ The Idaho Statesman
Jeanette Wood puts the finishing touches on the Yacht Club
sculpture called "Millennium Magic in McCall."
In town since Wednesday,
she and her husband, Randy,
had watched frozen lumps
transformed into animals, car-
toon figures, literary charac-
ters and whimsical scenes.
"Some of them were just a
pile of ice and snow yesterday,
then today they've actually got
something," Talaich said.
"They really work fast."
One ice sculptor was injured
Thursday when his sculpture
fell on him.
Paul Dumont of McCall, the
sporting goods manager at Ridley's
variety store, was working on a 6-
foot- tall steelhead about 1 p.m. when
it toppled over and broke his leg
above the knee, said Beven Ercan-
barck, store manager.
He was taken by Life Flight to Saint
Alphonsus Regional Medical Center.
He'll be out of work for six weeks, but
he's fine, Ercanbarck said.
On the other side of town, Roxanne
Hill, co-owner of the Burger Den, and
her friend Ellen McKinney pulled an
all - nighter to complete their frozen
masterpiece.
Using spoons, paint scrapers, a saw
and kitchen utensils, the women cre-
ated characters from the children's
book, "Where the Wild Things Are."
People from grandparents to toddlers
have stopped by to admire the charac-
ters from the book they love, they
said.
The team likes to work at a fast and
furious pace right up to the last
minute.
"We prefer to go like crazy," Mc-
Kinney said. "Everybody has their
own style."
lnts is «ie 15th sculpture for Hill,
'vve always cnallenge ourselves,"
she said.
Although the temperature dipped
to below zero Thursday night, the
women said they had no idea it was
that cold.
They stayed warm by working
hard and taking breaks for coffee and
food. The only thing they really cared
about was that the slush was setting
up well as their sculpture — built
handful by handful — took shape.
Starting at 8 a.m. on Friday, a four -
person team of volunteer judges
clutched hot cups of coffee and
stopped at each of the 35 sculptures
scattered around town. They judged
each creation for detail and form, then
agonized over the winners, which
were announced at the opening cere-
mony Friday night.
The judges had previewed the en-
tries the night before and offered
cookies and words of encouragement
to the hard - working sculptors.
"There was excellent work this
year," said judge JoEllen Yribar. "It
was really hard to decide."
At the Payette National Forest of-
fice, a 12 -foot sculpture of an eagle
drew many admirers.
This is incredible," said Sheila
Flock of Clarkston, Wash. She and
her family were just finishing up a
weeklong ski trip to McCall and will
miss most of the carnival.
"I think next year when we spend
our week, we're coming during carni-
val," she said.
But she better book ahead. Hotels
are booked for both weekends, ac-
cordingto Statewide Central Reserva-
tions, though the Hotel McCall still
had a vacancy sign.
f a tic ; It .)ova
McCall
Winter Carnival
Locations of some of the snow
sculptures in downtown McCall
15 16
Payette Lake 17
14
2 3 4 Sskteer
-, 12
2220 E"ot N 13� R R. P.�enue
cenw 11 18
8 a N
snore Street 10 19
N patkSlceer
9 21
7 6 t,atKSttget
DOWNTOWN MCCALL
1. Keep Me in Stitches /Small
Wonders, "I am the Walrus, coo -
coo ka chu.'
2. Yacht Club, "Millennium Magic in
McCall:'
3. Krahn's Home Furnishings,
"You're A Good Man.'
4. McCall- Donnelly High School
Senior Class, Art Roberts Park,
"McCall 2000:'
5. May Hardware, "Yogi Bear.
6. Huckleberry Garden, "Tasty
Treats.'
7.The Star -News, "Francois
Payette."
8. M -D High School Art Class,
Citizens Communications,
"Snowman Laughing:'
9. Sterling Savings Bank "A Good
Ole Fashioned Hoe - down"
10. U S. Bank, "Moses:'
11. McCall Drug, "White Buffalo -
Promise of the Future.'
12. Moxie Java, "Momma Sharlie &
the Millennium Baby."
13. McCall Taekwondo, "Swinging
Hook Kick- Faster and Stronger in
2000"
14. McCall Area Realtors, "Realty
Bear."
15. Mountain Monkey Business,
"Getting to Know You"
16. Rumpledinx/Sweet Peas, "2000
Crystal Fantasy."
17. Centennial High School Art
Students, Bev's Cafe, "Cat in the
Hat"
18. Toll Station Pizza & Pasta,
"Rock 'n Roll Elmo"
19. My Father's Place, "Some
Things Never Change"
20. Marketplace at McCall, "The
Future Looks Bright:'
21. Medley Sports, "Just a Swinging
Paul Bunyan"
22. Paul's Markgt. °Mickev Mouse"
Visitors driving in for the day can
find parking at Shaver's grocery store
on Ieinhard Lane.
Payette Lakes Middle School also
has parking. It's about a half -mile far-
ther down on Deinhard Lane.
Three shuttle buses will run all day
on a continuous loop from those two
sites to downtown.
8 f4 to
% wtFr 3 610 3
Kim Hughes / The Idaho Statesman
Wild pair: Ellen McKinney, left, and Roxanne Hill laugh about their adventures and lack of sleep in creating the "Wild in 2000" sculpture outside Bryan's
Burger Den. The two ice artists based their sculpture on the book "Where the Wild Things Are."
Winners of the ice sculpture contest
> For the best Home and
Family Built sculpture: The
Burke Family Pancake House
vvith "Santa Making Pancakes."
........................... ...............................
> The First- timers Award
went to McCall Taekwondo's
"Swinging Hook Kick — Faster
and Stronger in 2000."
................................... ...............................
> The M -D High School art
class took the best Student Built
award for Citizen's Communica-
tions' "Snowman Laughing."
In the general category:
> 10th: McCall Area Real-
tors, "Realty Bear."
> 9th: Marketplace at McCall,
"The Future Looks Bright."
> 8th: Moxie Java, "Momma
Sharlie and the Millennium Ba-
by."
> 7th: US Bank, "Moses."
> 6th: The Burke Family
Pancake House."
> Sth: The Mill, "The Millenni-
um Dragon."
> 4th: Krahn's Home Fur-
nishings, "You're A Good Man."
> 3th: Yacht Club, "Millenni-
um Magic in McCall."
> 2nd: Payette National For-
est, "Wingin' into the New Mil-
lennium."
> 1st: Bryan's Burger Den,
"Wild in 2000."
There will be two additional
awards given next week for the
best maintained sculpture and
the most photographed.
Thirty -five sculptures compet-
ed in this year's contest.
The volunteer judges were
Bruce Miller of Alliance Title;
JoEllen Yribar of Clark Realty;
Rika Keppel, an artist; and
Kealy Clarke of Water Lemon
Antique Store, all of McCall.
More snow sculptures
0 rise in MeCA's center
Artists work day
and night for shot
at $1,000 in prizes
By Susan Whaley
The Idaho Statesman
McCALL — The McCall Win-
ter Carnival continues this
weekend with ice sculpture
viewing, a kids' snowman-
building contest, a snowmobile
fun run and food, music and en-
tertainment downtown.
Thirteen additional frozen
sculptures took shape this week
in downtown McCall during the
14th annual Idaho Snow Sculpt-
ing Championship.
Teams of as many as three
people each were given a 5 -foot
block of snow and three days —
from Tuesday morning to today
— to create their frozen master-
pieces.
Part of East Lake Street be-
tween Payette Lake and Hotel
McCall is blocked off for the
competition, giving visitors
plenty of walking-around room.
"It is just gorgeous down
there," organizer Diane Wie-
gand said.
One sculpture features a
kayaker in a big wave, she said.
Others depict eagles, whales
and bears, while some are ab-
stract.
"The sculptors all have some
artistic background, which is
why they do such a good job,"
Wiegand said.
The ice artists work from
original designs, and many also
have their clay models or
sketches on display for visitors
to see.
The teams came for the invi-
tational event from all over Ida-
ho — Sandpoint to Boise. A
team also came from Ukiah,
Calif., Wiegand said.
Most have pulled all- nighters
to take advantage of the cold
overnight temperatures, she said.
The sculptures will be judged
today. Winners will share $1,000
in prize money.
Wiegand said carnival
crowds have been good
throughout the week. Accom-
modations continue to be tight,
with few if any vacancies for the
weekend.
The 35 other sculptures built
last week by local businesses
and townspeople are holding up
pretty well despite some warm
afternoons, carnival spokes=
woman Toni McCarter said.
Any that need repair will be
freshened up for the weekend.
Road conditions are fair, but
drivers should watch for icy
spots, fog and fallen rocks.
SOME CAN'T WAIT FOR SPRING
Above: Steve Spradling, from Oklahoma, holds his golf club as he watches his No. 2 fairway shot Friday
afternoon during the Snowshoe Golf tournament in McCall. Spradling was playing in a five -some in the
event that included his father, brother and nephew. Proceeds from the two -day event will go to the Mc-
Call Senior Center. Players were required to wear snowshoes and use florescent tennis balls instead of
traditional golf balls on the nine -hole course created by organizer David Cross. Cross of McCall gave this
advice to golfers, "Get out early while it's still crusty, that way the ball rolls better." Cross hopes to make
next year a single -day event.
Right: A black Labrador retriever holds onto a tennis ball after picking it up off the fairway during the tour-
nament. The dog eventually returned the ball to its owner.
Photos by Chris Butler/ The Idaho Statesman
A SNOWY RIDE THROUGH DOWNTOWN MCCALL
reb
Photos by Chris Butler / The Idaho Statesman
1 I o rl` I��ill Above: Jill Wickander leads a horse -drawn carriage as
I, customers enjoy the snow sculptures during a snow
shower at the McCall Winter Carnival Friday afternoon.
Wickander, who was working for Yahoo Corrals, spent the
afternoon leading the Percheron horse named "Diamond
Jim" around downtown McCall. Yahoo Corrals will be run-
ning the carriage throughout the weekend.
Left: Thad Jones uses a broom to remove fresh - fallen
snow from the sculpture, "Millennium Dragon," Friday af-
ternoon in McCall. Jones and Dennis Ackerman spent
more than two weeks working on the dragon. The McCall
Winter Carnival continues this weekend with snow sculp-
ture viewing, a kids' snowman building contest, a snow-
mobile fun run and food, music and entertainment down-
town. See Page 3113 for maps and schedule of events.
14th annual Idaho Snow Sculpting Championship prize winners announced
Abstract sculptures took
Jeff Detzer, of Sandpoint,
ris, Barb Dunham and Trish
KEN.'
{+b.
top prizes in the 14th annu-
the struggle between good
Bryant, of Bonners Ferry,
ane Wiegand.
al Idaho Snow Sculpting
and evil.
eagles fighting over a fish.
The sculptures will be on
Championship in McCall.
),-Third prize: Dave Ritch
> Fifth place: Kelly Kol-
display this weekend at the
The winners are:
and Rick Stennett, of Mesa,
stad, Days Creek, Ore.,
McCall Winter Carnival,
> First prize: Jeff Weston
abstract.
mother whale and two
which continues through
b
The top three winners
young whales.
Sunday. They are located
cade, abstract guitar and
shared $1,000 in prize money.
> Artists' choice: Kolstad
on a blocked -off section of
bass player.
Trophies also were award-
Thirteen teams, com-
East Lake Street between
> Second prize: Norm
ed to:
prised of 36 people, com-
Payette Lake and Hotel Mc-
v t
r
> Fourth place: Lee Har-
4
Call.
,
P�
lli
m
r .Mr k 1
f,r
Photos by Chris Butler / The Idaho Statesman
1 I o rl` I��ill Above: Jill Wickander leads a horse -drawn carriage as
I, customers enjoy the snow sculptures during a snow
shower at the McCall Winter Carnival Friday afternoon.
Wickander, who was working for Yahoo Corrals, spent the
afternoon leading the Percheron horse named "Diamond
Jim" around downtown McCall. Yahoo Corrals will be run-
ning the carriage throughout the weekend.
Left: Thad Jones uses a broom to remove fresh - fallen
snow from the sculpture, "Millennium Dragon," Friday af-
ternoon in McCall. Jones and Dennis Ackerman spent
more than two weeks working on the dragon. The McCall
Winter Carnival continues this weekend with snow sculp-
ture viewing, a kids' snowman building contest, a snow-
mobile fun run and food, music and entertainment down-
town. See Page 3113 for maps and schedule of events.
14th annual Idaho Snow Sculpting Championship prize winners announced
Abstract sculptures took
Jeff Detzer, of Sandpoint,
ris, Barb Dunham and Trish
according to organizer Di-
top prizes in the 14th annu-
the struggle between good
Bryant, of Bonners Ferry,
ane Wiegand.
al Idaho Snow Sculpting
and evil.
eagles fighting over a fish.
The sculptures will be on
Championship in McCall.
),-Third prize: Dave Ritch
> Fifth place: Kelly Kol-
display this weekend at the
The winners are:
and Rick Stennett, of Mesa,
stad, Days Creek, Ore.,
McCall Winter Carnival,
> First prize: Jeff Weston
abstract.
mother whale and two
which continues through
and Andre Snyder, of Cas-
The top three winners
young whales.
Sunday. They are located
cade, abstract guitar and
shared $1,000 in prize money.
> Artists' choice: Kolstad
on a blocked -off section of
bass player.
Trophies also were award-
Thirteen teams, com-
East Lake Street between
> Second prize: Norm
ed to:
prised of 36 people, com-
Payette Lake and Hotel Mc-
Smith, Myles Hougen and
> Fourth place: Lee Har-
peted in this year's contest,
Call.